Potter's fellowship founder Marketplace speaker

The Potter’s House Christian Fellowship will be speaker Thursday for the meeting of the marketplace Christian Professional Resources Luncheon at Amici’s banquet restaurant, 1915 A1A South, corner of A1A and State Road 312.

Registration/networking is from 11:30 A.M. to noon, and the luncheon/leadership lesson is from noon to 2 p.m.

The all inclusive cost of the luncheon is $15 if pre-registered; $17 at the door. For reservations call Ken, 377-4671, or Norma, 797-1783.

Speaker Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin is described as the visionary and founding pastor for The Potter’s House Christian Fellowship. He is also co-chancellor of The Potter’s House Christian Academy and CEO of Kingdom Plaza Mall.

The vision that the Lord gave to him, he says, was one of a holistic ministry to reach into the community and meet the needs of the total man, physically, emotionally and spiritually. His practical approach for ministry began by implementing various outreach programs such as a food and clothing pantry, free auto repair, barbering and moving services, Jails and Prison visitations, hospital and nursing home ministry, radio outreach broadcasts and ministerial training through Bible College courses and sound biblical teaching. The ministry quickly began and continues to grow and bear much fruit under his divine leadership.

McLaughlin attended the University of Tampa on an athletic scholarship, and later studied at University of Tennessee majoring in psychology. He holds both a master’s and doctorate in theology from North Florida Theological Seminary.

In 1988, he founded The Potter’s House Christian Fellowship. Today it is home to more than 5,000 members, having started with 40 members. McLaughlin and The Potter’s House ministry have been acknowledged and awarded by local, state and federal agencies for outstanding and consistent work in the area of jails and prisons, nursing homes, hospital ministry and food and clothing efforts.

McLaughlin is also the founder and Chancellor of The Potter’s House Christian Academy, a fully accredited institution of academia with a current enrollment of more than 600 in grades K-4 to 12th.

In 2002, Bishop McLaughlin led The Potter’s House in the purchase of the first fully enclosed shopping mall in Jacksonville’s history. A 414,000 square foot facility sitting on 48 acres of property now valued at over $40 million was purchased by The Potter’s House for $4 million. Approximately 150,000 square feet of the mall, a former Sam’s Wholesale building is now home to the main auditorium and church facilities which include a 4,000 plus seat sanctuary, a 1,000 seat children’s church, a 250 seat wedding chapel, a 12,000 square foot nursery with two indoor playgrounds, a teen restaurant called the Rock Cafe, Java Rock Coffee Shop, a state of the art recording studio, beautiful administrative offices, a lecture hall, conference rooms and much more. The purchase and renovation of this mall, formerly the Normandy Mall, now called Kingdom Plaza at Normandy Mall, has brought national attention and recognition from news media of every form and has taken Bishop McLaughlin around the world via several international appearances on The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Black Entertainment Television (BET) and DayStar television just to name a few.

In January of 2007, another 177,000 square foot of the mall was opened with The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro, which seats close to 300 and has become one of the most popular eateries in all of Jacksonville.

In addition to his life’s work, McLaughlin serves on numerous boards and is involved with many organizations in Jacksonville.

Bishop McLaughlin serves and has served on various boards and committees.